A WOMAN being evicted from her rental home says she faces homelessness - as most houses in her village are second homes or Airbnbs.
Pam Leach has been renting her home for over four years in Doverhay, Porlock.
But she's being turfed out of her long-time home by her landlords.
She says an increasing number of renters are being kicked out before ‘no fault evictions’ are banned under legislation currently going through Parliament.
Bailiffs have told Ms Leach they will return on Thursday, July 27, to forcibly remove her from the terraced house she shares with her three cats.
Her landlords say they want to downsize and live in the house themselves.
Pam says she will not be able to stay in the village as it is full of AirBnB or second homes.
Now she's been priced out of living in the area where she was born and is threatened with homelessness.
Pam, a retired graphics designer, said: “I just do not know what I am going to do. I feel awful.
“I have been to Citizen’s Advice, but they did not have anybody who could help.
“I have been to Somerset Council’s offices to talk to the homelessness team and they have not come back with anything and were no help at all.
“I cannot find anywhere else to live.
“Everything locally up to about £865,000 has been bought up by people from out of Porlock mainly using them for weekends or once a month, not even living in them properly.”
Ms Leach said she had been living on her savings because her pension was so small and doing odd jobs gardening and landscaping and painting to get by.
However Doverhay has in recent years become inundated by people buying second homes and setting up holiday lets, driving up prices beyond her means.
Pam added: “It seems a huge coincidence that they are doing this just before they bring in legislation to prevent ‘no fault evictions’.
“I have not defaulted on a penny.”
Parish council chairman Cllr Duncan McCanlis said the issue of holiday lets and second homes is being reviewed and has left local businesses struggling to hire staff.
He said: “It is a major issue in the village. I absolutely understand that.
“We are really well aware of it, but it is outside the parish council’s powers.”
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